This short documentary provides an overview of the development of church music alongside the growth of African American churches in the eastern United States from the arrival of black Africans in Jamestown in 1619 through 1877 and the Reconstruction era. The evolution of church music within African American churches included the formation of music programs and performances, hymnals, choirs, negro spirituals, and music education as well as the addition of organs to accompany the singing of psalms, hymns, and anthems. During the Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s, the Christianization of slaves and Africanization of Protestant hymns swept through the American colonies. European Christianity and the emotionalism of the African homeland were combined during the Second Awakening, which began in the late eighteenth century and lasted until the middle of the nineteenth century. The history of church music created by urban and rural congregations within New England and Southern states is explored.
Short documentary. Part of Climbing Jacob's Ladder Audiovisual Records. Complete production: AV000962, AV003327. Production elements: AV002679 [narration], AV003345 [outtakes - sound], AV003421 [music], AV003336 [music]. AV003421: 6 songs including We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder [also known as Jacob's Ladder] and Battle Hymn of the Republic [also known as Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!]. AV003336: 2 recordings of We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder. Dated 19940923 [AV000962]. Undated [all other recordings].
Biographical / Historical:
Church Songs of Black Americans 1740 - 1877 was created alongside the Climbing Jacob's Ladder: The Rise of Black Churches in Eastern American Cities, 1740 - 1877 exhibition which explored the growth and central role of African American churches during the 18th- and 19th-centuries in the eastern United States: Boston, Savannah, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond. The exhibition was organized by the Anacostia Museum and held there from October 1987 to October 1988.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV003327
ACMA AV002679
ACMA AV003345
ACMA AV003421
ACMA AV003336
ACMA AV002642
General:
Title transcribed from opening credits of video recording.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at ACMarchives@si.edu.
Climbing Jacob's Ladder argues for the importance of documenting and preserving the history of the African American church as explained by church historians, archivists, and curators. The African American church tells the story of African Americans, provides direction and goals for the young, and is the center of African American life. Its history is illustrated through photographs and moving images, which are endangered of being lost and forgotten if preservation measures are not taken. The short documentary also provides an overview of the history of the black church and African American worship from slavery through present day, the role and style of black preachers, black church music and choirs, and clothing worn to religious services.
Short documentary. Part of Climbing Jacob's Ladder Audiovisual Records. AV001152: dated 19920324. AV005160: transferred from VHS, captions burnt into image, dated 1991. AV005350: 16mm Preservation Color Interpositive, no sound, dated 20150317.
Biographical / Historical:
Climbing Jacob's Ladder was based on the Climbing Jacob's Ladder: The Rise of Black Churches in Eastern American Cities, 1740 - 1877 exhibition which explored the growth and central role of African American churches during the 18th- and 19th-centuries in the eastern United States: Boston, Savannah, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond. The exhibition was organized by the Anacostia Museum and held there from October 1987 to October 1988.;The African American church provides the spiritual, educational, social, political, and economic center for the African American community. Because the history of the African American church tells the story of African Americans, the church is the largest repository of African American history.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV005160
ACMA AV005350
General:
Title transcribed from open credits of video recording.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at ACMarchives@si.edu.
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
1 Item
Container:
Box 72
Culture:
African Americans -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- African Americans
Date:
undated
Scope and Contents:
Ink on negative:"203". Howard University Choir singing in front of a pipe organ. "KODAK--SAFETY 39" edge imprint. No Scurlock number.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Photographs -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Silver gelatin on cellulose acetate film sheet., [8" x 10"].)
Container:
Box 104
Culture:
African Americans -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Retouching
New coccine (or crocein scarlet) dye
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- African Americans
Washington (D.C.) -- 1950-1960 -- Photographs
Date:
1952
May 1952
Scope and Contents:
Posed group of men and women in evening dress standing in rows in the main body of the church. Three people are seated in the balcony to the right. Photograph taken from the balcony. Ink on negative: "Vt Ave. Choir (Mrs. Smith [?]) May 1952". Ink on envelope: caption and "c/o Mrs. Smith" and "2 - 8 x 1- d.w. of ea". "KODAK SAFETY 139" edge imprint. Retouching with New Coccine.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
African American churches -- 1950-1960 Search this
Photographs -- 1950-1960 -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Retouching -- Dye
New Coccine (or Crocein Scarlet) dye
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Silver gelatin on cellulose acetate film sheet., [8" x 10"].)
Container:
Box 104
Culture:
African Americans -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Retouching
New coccine (or crocein scarlet) dye
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- African Americans
Washington (D.C.) -- 1950-1960 -- Photographs
Date:
May 1952
Scope and Contents:
Posed group of three men and three women in evening dress standing inside church. No ink on negative. Ink on envelope: caption and "c/o Mrs. Smith" and "2 - 8 x 1- d.w. of ea". "KODAK SAFETY 139" edge imprint. Retouching on faces with Red Coccine.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
African American churches -- 1950-1960 Search this
Photographs -- 1950-1960 -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Retouching -- Dye
New Coccine (or Crocein Scarlet) dye
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Silver gelatin on cellulose acetate film sheet., [10" x 8"].)
Container:
Box 104
Culture:
African Americans -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Retouching
New coccine (or crocein scarlet) dye
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- African Americans
Washington (D.C.) -- 1950-1960 -- Photographs
Date:
May 1952
Scope and Contents:
Man and woman in evening dress standing inside church. No ink on negative. Ink on envelope: caption and "c/o Mrs. Smith" and "2 - 8 x 1- d.w. of ea". "KODAK SAFETY 139" edge imprint. Retouching on woman hair with Red Coccine.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
African American churches -- 1950-1960 Search this
Photographs -- 1950-1960 -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Retouching -- Dye
New Coccine (or Crocein Scarlet) dye
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Musical recording session at Bible Way Temple, located in northwest Washington, D.C., to create CD of religious music. Contents include First Fruits, Cureton Family, and Bible Way Choir.
Music. Related to Speak to My Heart: Communities of Faith and Contemporary African American Life. Dated 19980423.
Biographical / Historical:
Speak to My Heart: Communities of Faith and Contemporary African American Life examined the faith and spiritual traditions in African American religious life in the 1990s. The exhibition featured members of Christian churches as well as those of other faiths. Special attention was given to the ways that African American congregations were responding to contemporary challenges affecting their families, neighborhoods, and communities. The exhibition was developed by the Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture, and held at The Arts and Industries Building, North Gallery, 900 Jefferson Street, SW, Washington, D.C. from February 1998 to August 1999.
Local Numbers:
ACMA AV002234
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at ACMarchives@si.edu.
Gail S. Lowe, Ph.D. talked about the center of African American life and community - the Black Chruch. She detailed the significance and work of the Black Church in communities, and provided an introduction to the upcoming exhibition 'Speak to My Heart: Communities of Faith and Contemporary African American Life.' Lowe discussed each section of the exhibition, and the types of materials and information the museum planned to include in the exhibit. The talk was part of a meeting for the Friends for the Preservation of African American History and Culture.
Exhibition talk. Related to exhibition 'Speak to My Heart: Communities of Faith and Contemporary African American Life.' Dated 19961016.
Biographical / Historical:
'Speak to My Heart: Communities of Faith and Contemporary African American Life' examined the faith and spiritual traditions in African American religious life in the 1990s. The exhibition featured members of Christian churches as well as those of other faiths. Special attention was given to the ways that African American congregations were responding to contemporary challenges affecting their families, neighborhoods, and communities. The exhibition was developed by the Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture, and held at The Arts and Industries Building, North Gallery, 900 Jefferson Street, SW, Washington, D.C. from February 1998 to August 1999.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at ACMarchives@si.edu.
Dr. Gail Lowe led a tour of the exhibition 'Speak to My Heart: Communities of Faith and Contemporary African American Life.'
Exhibition tour. Related to Speak to My Heart: Communities of Faith and Contemporary African American Life. Dated 19981006.
Biographical / Historical:
Speak to My Heart: Communities of Faith and Contemporary African American Life examined the faith and spiritual traditions in African American religious life in the 1990s. The exhibition featured members of Christian churches as well as those of other faiths. Special attention was given to the ways that African American congregations were responding to contemporary challenges affecting their families, neighborhoods, and communities. The exhibition was developed by the Smithsonian Institution's Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture, and held at The Arts and Industries Building, North Gallery, 900 Jefferson Street, SW, Washington, D.C. from February 1998 to August 1999.
Series Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at ACMarchives@si.edu.
Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, October 6, 1979.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Copyright and other restrictions may apply. Generally, materials created during a Festival are covered by a release signed by each participant permitting their use for personal and educational purposes; materials created as part of the fieldwork leading to a Festival may be more restricted. We permit and encourage such personal and educational use of those materials provided digitally here, without special permissions. Use of any materials for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires a license from the Archives. Licensing fees may apply in addition to any processing fees.
1 Item (Silver gelatin on cellulose acetate film sheet., 4" x 5".)
Container:
Box 45
Culture:
African Americans -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- African Americans
Date:
1955 March
Scope and Contents:
Subject/Sitter: Glee Club
African American Choir director seated at piano in front African American choral group. No ink on negative. Kodak Safety Film edge imprint. No Scurlock number.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
African American college students -- 1950-1960 Search this
Photographs -- 1950-1960 -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
1 Item (Silver gelatin on cellulose acetate film sheet., [4x5].)
Container:
Box 34
Culture:
African Americans -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- African Americans
Washington (D.C.) -- 1940 -- Photographs
Date:
1940
Scope and Contents:
Subject/Sitter: women's dinner
African American women singing in small choir while seated audience observe. No ink on negative. Eastman-Safety-Kodak edge imprint.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Photographs -- 1930-1940 -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Family Farm Fieldwork: Swedish church choir of Salemsburg, Kansas and interview with Tom Holmquist (choir music, bobcats) recorded by Mark Esping
Collection Creator:
Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Extent:
1 Sound recording (compact audio cassette)
Type:
Archival materials
Sound recordings
Date:
1991
Collection Restrictions:
Access by appointment only. Where a listening copy or viewing copy has been created, this is indicated in the respective inventory; additional materials may be accessible with sufficient advance notice and, in some cases, payment of a processing fee. Older papers are housed at a remote location and may require a minimum of three weeks' advance notice and payment of a retrieval fee. Certain formats such as multi-track audio recordings and EIAJ-1 videoreels (1/2 inch) may not be accessible. Contact the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at 202-633-7322 or rinzlerarchives@si.edu for additional information.
Collection Rights:
Copyright and other restrictions may apply. Generally, materials created during a Festival are covered by a release signed by each participant permitting their use for personal and educational purposes; materials created as part of the fieldwork leading to a Festival may be more restricted. We permit and encourage such personal and educational use of those materials provided digitally here, without special permissions. Use of any materials for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires a license from the Archives. Licensing fees may apply in addition to any processing fees.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1991 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
- Gennadii Chash (Tuva); Elesa (Georgia); Uzbek, Musozhon Arifdzhanov, Oinakhon Burkhanova, Ibragim Isakov Tuvan Overtone Throat Singing; Georgian Men's Choir; Music From Uzbekistan; Tape 3 Of 4
CDR copy
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, June 23, 1988.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Copyright and other restrictions may apply. Generally, materials created during a Festival are covered by a release signed by each participant permitting their use for personal and educational purposes; materials created as part of the fieldwork leading to a Festival may be more restricted. We permit and encourage such personal and educational use of those materials provided digitally here, without special permissions. Use of any materials for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires a license from the Archives. Licensing fees may apply in addition to any processing fees.
Elesa (Georgian); Uzbek Trio; Georgian Men's Choir; Music From Uzbekistan; Tape 2 Of 5
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: Washington (D.C.), United States, June 25, 1988.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. Some duplication is allowed. Use of materials needs permission of the Smithsonian Institution.
Collection Rights:
Copyright and other restrictions may apply. Generally, materials created during a Festival are covered by a release signed by each participant permitting their use for personal and educational purposes; materials created as part of the fieldwork leading to a Festival may be more restricted. We permit and encourage such personal and educational use of those materials provided digitally here, without special permissions. Use of any materials for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires a license from the Archives. Licensing fees may apply in addition to any processing fees.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1988 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Recorded in: Iowa City (Iowa), United States, Iowa, January 2, 1996.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. SI Permission.
Collection Rights:
Copyright and other restrictions may apply. Generally, materials created during a Festival are covered by a release signed by each participant permitting their use for personal and educational purposes; materials created as part of the fieldwork leading to a Festival may be more restricted. We permit and encourage such personal and educational use of those materials provided digitally here, without special permissions. Use of any materials for publication, commercial use, or distribution requires a license from the Archives. Licensing fees may apply in addition to any processing fees.
Battle Hymn of the Republic performed by the Nineteen Street Baptist Church choir in front of an audience.
Music. Part of ACM Museum Events, PR, and Ceremonies Recordings. Public Performance. Undated.
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
Coolidge Gospel Choir, a youth musical group, performs at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum.
Musicial performance. Part of ACM Museum Events, PR, and Ceremonies Recordings. Dated 19720301.
General:
Title transcribed from physical asset.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.
